Not that it’s not mentioned, but Brock Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to franchise QB seriously won’t stop being so cool. The franchise would be in a MUCH different place right now if they were still picking up the scraps from the Trey Lance trade, yet instead, they find themselves still in contention with the Iowa State alum at QB.
Now well compensated, the 49ers starting QB enters his fifth season with the team in his prime at age 26, to be 27 by season’s end. Purdy came out of nowhere and elevated the offense in a way no other QB has done since Steve Young back in the 90s. His combination of accuracy and playmaking, when paired with Kyle Shanahan’s offense, results in hyper-efficiency: 20 passing touchdowns in just nine games last season, 31 touchdowns in 2023, and two NFC Championship appearances in his short career.
There’s no question that Purdy is the guy. He’s taken the 49ers deep into the playoffs, is paid like an elite QB, and has the stats to back it up. There are only two things to prove. 1) Can he ascend beyond the 10ish QB range? Per TheAthletic’s QB rankings, compiled by NFL decision-makers, Purdy is tied for 11th with the Bears’ QB Caleb Williams, and just behind Jordan Love and Jared Goff. That’s good company to keep, but we want to see him separate himself from that pack. He’ll forever get little benefit of the doubt as long as he’s in a talented offense and with Shanahan, so he’ll need to go above and beyond to prove it.
2) That health is not a concern. He’s now missed crucial time in 2025 and in the 2022 NFC Championship Game. Freak injuries? Probably. Would another start to worry me greatly? Probably. I’d rather not need to have that conversation.
Typically, a QB would undoubtedly be the #1 most important player for any team. This is not Purdy slander to have him this low. Rather, we’ve seen Mac Jones play very well in his place last year over an extended time. Jones is a very talented QB himself, so off all the positions the 49ers have depth, it’s the most important one where the drop-off is not as severe. Shanahan nearly won a Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo, so it’s not out of the question that Jones could fetch similar results. The 49ers do not have the same luxury for the players ranked above their QB on this list.
Still, the 49ers would by all means be better off with a healthy Brock Purdy. He gives the offense more leeway and maximizes the talent around him. A dominant 2026 should remind rivals that he’s not just outplaying his draft position, he’s outplaying most other QBs.